So, how do you hire the right person, place them where they fit and
evaluate them so your enterprise can prosper? It all starts at the
benchmark.

They're the dilemmas of every business. How do you find the people to
keep your enterprise moving ahead smoothly? Or, how do you get the
right folks to take you to the next level? And even, where do you get
the individuals you need to get you out of the situation you're in?

It's universal and on going in the business world we live in.

In working with companies that have or have had these problems I've
noticed a consistent phenomenon, not in every case, but certainly in
most. There seems to be a lack of self-awareness as to how their
current situation was formed. Too often the owners or managers of the
companies feel that those individuals who got the entity to where it is
can move it ahead, take it to the next level or get it out of the
situation it's in. These assumptions can be dangerous if not disastrous.

So, how do you hire the right person, place them where they fit and
evaluate them so your enterprise can prosper? It all starts at the
benchmark.

First define the position. Develop a formal description in terms of
experience, education, technical skills, etc. needed to perform the
benchmarked job. Determine what behavioral skills are needed to execute
the duties, responsibilities and expectations of the position. Build an
understanding as to what the motivational factors are in order to
achieve the needed successful results. And evaluate the current high
and low performers to enable you to get further insights into the soft
skills needed in your particular environment or culture.

In developing the benchmark it's important to understand why the
position is or will be open. Was the person previously hired for the
position not the right person for the job? Then ask yourself why. Did
you already have a high performer in that particular position who
decided to leave the company for another opportunity? Be honest with
yourself when you figure out the reason for that switch. Did you have a
wonderful person in the job that you decided to promote? And/or is your
company growing? Each answer will add to your benchmarking knowledge
base.

With a more defined view of the position the recruiter, whether it's
you, your HR department, an outside person or a combination of two or
three, will be able to identify the most suitable candidates for the
position. It also becomes easier to efficiently screen resumes that
have the technical skills, experience and education for the position.

Once you have the pool of candidates down to three or four individuals
pre-employment behavioral and attitudinal assessments become the tools
to help evaluate which person has the soft skills necessary to function
within the benchmarks that have been established for the position.

When qualified candidates have been found, the HR department, or
persons working in that capacity, will often send the person to the
interviewing team. Included on that team should be a behavioral
interviewer who can customize their questions to the particular
candidate based on the behavioral design and tendencies of the
individual so that the entire team can have a more complete picture of
the potential hire in order to make a more unbiased hiring decision.

With that stage of the process complete the interviewing team can
discuss the results with the Human Resources representative, department
manager and/or other pertinent personnel affected by the hire.

This final selection discussion will give the manager, supervisor or
other people involved new insights as to how to motivate, communicate
with and manage the new employee.

Now that the position is filled the employee-manager working
relationship can move into formulating a career path for the
individual. Training/mentoring/coaching programs can be established
that pertain to the needs of the employee as well as the organization.

It is also now up to the organization to formulate a means to monitor
the development of the employee through measurable means. This process
is necessary in order to ensure performance results.

With a consistent program in place updating the employee on their
progress through a series of monthly or quarterly meetings is sure to
help everyone reach their objectives.

Understanding that the people who got you where you are now may not be
the folks to get you to where you want to be is a sometimes sobering
and uncomfortable position for any business owner, executive or manager
to be in. It is not unusual to find out that the individuals that you
agonize over are agonizing over the position they're in too. Not from
the perspective of "Am I going to lose my job?" but rather, "Gee I wish
I could be doing another function within this organization."

Too often we don't stop to think about how to use the human resources
within our companies in new and creative ways. That may mean finding
out what really best suits their strong points.

Reassigning individuals and tasks may wind up taking pressure off
everyone. The process outlined in this article helps in directing new
hires into their strengths and can also be used in a modified fashion
to help old hires find their strengths as well. After all that is why
it's call Human Resources.